The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1887-12-15

an Early four yeah Nv fightin' in the
valley en- round Richmond. Plowin'
en- pitchin' corn hedn't KEN handy.
like handlin' muskit, en-, KEN to
think nv hit. tain't never been handy
sense" he added, meditatively.
WAS the stranger soldier in the
Southern army?"
Dunno as he wur-the Cum ell he'd
drawed on a Teller en- kilt him, en-
somehow he was pow'ful sorry fur it.
| fotched him home one night ies' es
l done you, en- he never went out no
mo-. Mary tended him, but the
Cum cl want tryin' to git we'll. wur
hankerin' arter that track of brush
ground 'longside the Piney ridge fur
cattle range. Hits only a thousand
acre bit NV lam, en- turn for sale, but |
hain't got no higher to gittin' hit, en-
that's wen DildY's toddler. The
Cun'el seemed like he hoped me to
want that ar range some day. .Hit'll
be wuth a fortin, Joe,' says he; git hit
ef you kim Twa'n't no kinder use
atellin' me that. kase / wanted that
Ian bad enough; hits fur sale yit;
dunno es Til ever hev the luck to own
! hit. Jes' afo' he died, bout a couple
NV weeks, the Cun'el sent fur me en-
sez: Joe Craddeck, you've been my
friend wen hadn't none I hain't
gwine to git well, en- dunno es l keer.
but heah's sonmut es will buy that
thousand-acre track; do you go on that
lam en- no other, fur Dildv-mind you,
this ere's fur Dildy'-he stretch out
his ham en- guv me suthin'."
"Was it the pin?" l inquired.
"Twa'n't nuthin' else, stranger,
the mountaineer retorted, with grim,
contemptuous smile. "W'en I KEN to
look he'd put the buzzom pin in my
han. Every day he'd watch me KEN
in from shootin' pa't'idges. en- AK me
fust, 'Hev you bought hit?' Seemed
like he'd sot heart on me sellin' his
buzzom pin en- buyin' that ar land l
hedn't the heart to dissap'int him, so /
said, I've done bought hit, Cun'e ;
Fur Dildy, don't you fursit that-fur
Dildy,' he KEEP tellin' me. !"
''Why did you not buy the land?" 1
inquired. II have no doubt it would
have been good purchase.
"Jes' so, stranger, t'were fust rate
cattle ranch, but the Cun'el mus q
been out of his head to think scrap
of shiny glass would buy pip's wuth
of anything" was the dry response.
as if the mountaineer pitied and
laughed at the hallucination. Il guy
it over to Dildy, en- she wouldn't sell
hit for nuthin' savin' book-she' S
/ pow'ful fond of readin' sense the
preacher at the cross roads larnt her
how to read"
The man laughed a low, dry laugh
and nodded toward the girl. Dildy
was, surreptitiously reading an illus
trated paper resurrected from a week S
burial in the bottom of my game bag.
/ She laid it down and blushed hotly.
Il have been careful not to spoil it,
SIR" she said, timidly. 81 thought you
wouldn't mind it if looked at it.''
"You shall have it and welcome"
The color dcepened in the pretty
cheeks; the beautiful eyes glowed.
Would you like to 90 to town9n
.1would rather stay here with plenty
of books
But you have books and every thing
else in town." / urged.
Il have every thing here except
books was the simple response, witt
. a satisfied, rairthful smile.
II smoked a final pipe out under the
stars and thought of Dildy. "Here is ;
, girl reflected, "with what would be
small fortune for her, longing fol-
, books as an unattainable treasure"
Chaotic plans and suggestions sho
through my mind, with Dildy ~
central figure-pretty. blushing. unso
| phisticated Dildy-contentedD Dildy. 4
: strange reluctance held me silent.
, waited until morning to shatter th'
7 novel happiness of content. Dawn wa:
} reddening tho misty crests of the noun
t tain ridges when stepped out into tn
fresh morning air..
'.Mawnin' stranger" politely greete'
: Craddeck. Dildy glanced round from
r the oyer-hanging launches of an oil
, brindle COW, and smiled without stop
ping her milking. Stranger. jest yo1
Hook over to t'other ridge. That's tn
I Piney ridge, an thurs the track u
; Ian the Gun el wanted me to buy wild
bit er shiny glass"
/ followed Craddeck's index finge
t with my eye.
Hits that blackish-lookin' yeth thi
side that passel NV pines" @
, Viewed from my standpoint. tn,
: place looked brushy, ragged and bar
5 rem.
' ..Whe did the Colonel especiall
t want that land for Dildy?' Inquired
t "Dunno es kin tell you, savin' hit
cheaper than lower down; but hits fiv
hundred dollars-en no good a-wishin
: fur hit--dunno but 'twould be pow
5 full bother havin' so much lam sayin
n fur stock.